American flagfish concensus. Good or bad?

[Bart G]

I've looked at lots of material on here as well as other resources and have yet to come to a solid conclusion. I would like to know what everyone thinks about american flagfish Jordanella Floridae. Most say great algae eater. Some say great plant eater. Some say scourge of the tankmates.

Do they destroy aquarium plants? If so what kinds?

Did they attack your other fish? What was your male/female ratio? What fish did they attack? Why?

I love the look and will probably have some work for them but not at the expense of everything else I hold dear if that seems to be the case.

 

[Nolapete]

They are great algae eaters, called Florida flagfish, but are excessive fin-nippers at the same level if not worse than tiger barbs.

 

[Bart G]

Google search Jordanella floridae and see what you get.

 

[Nolapete]

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/myfish/52-AmericanFlorida_Flagfish_Jordanella_floridae.html

The dominant name has been Florida flagfish for a very long time as they were mostly there. As populations developed across the country, the name American flagfish was substituted. IMO Florida flagfish is more appropriate hence the species name "floridae."

Regardless of what you call it, flagfish will eat algae, including black brush, and when done will pick plants. They will nip fins always.

And, they will beat the tar out of each other to the point of death if both sexes are present.

 

[mellowvision]

yeah, I had a juvy female for a while, she cleared my tank, but then as she quickly grew, she started terrorizing everything. I think I traded her off. Great algae eaters, but should really have a lot of territory and be housed with fish that can handle the abuse.

 

[247Plants]

I always had them in m/f pairs and they ate the heck out of algae and stayed to themselves pretty much. I would get them again.

 

[woolfam]

I have a male and two females in a 10g with six Cardinal Tetras and two Platies. They keep my java ferns trimmed back almost to the stems. They and the Platies are about equal in the pecking order. Everyone gets along just fine.

The neatest thing about them is blanching a couple spinach leaves, clipping the leaves to a weight, dropping it into the tank, and watching the Flag Fish tear into them. They grab on to a leaf and shake it like a shark to tear off pieces.

I have little algae in the tank. I don't know whether or not that is a result of them eating it.

 

[Lycanthropic]

I havent noticed any agression with my flagfish. He does eat my water sprite however, but leaves the rest of the plants alone I dont know if he eats algae... ive never seen him do it.

 

[eveliens]

I had a m/f in a 10 gallon with threadfin rainbows. Never had problems with aggression but they tore up my plants after all the algae was gone even with supplements. I wasn't very happy with that, as I had a nice lawn of baby's tears, and moved them to another tank. This tank was a 29 gallon with small tetras, an angel, and some mollies. They didn't do very well in that tank with bigger/more active tank mates.

Overall, I've been considering acquiring another pair, but not for a planted tank.